The Power of Authenticity

I want to talk to you today about the power of authenticity, being true to yourself. You know, one of the things I’ve learned over time is that the best you’ll ever be, if you’re trying to be someone else, is a pale imitation.

You know, most people spend their whole life saying, “I want to be like this person, I want to be like that person.” One of the things that I can’t stand is all these celebrities and people that want to be like them.

The truth is you have to be the best you, you can be. There’s only one you. I mean, there’s not another one on the face of the planet. Now, you need to learn from other people. From some people, you need to learn what not to do. From a lot of people, you need to learn what to do. But as you look at people, as you study successful people, study their traits. Study their behavior, study what they do, and then take the best and leave the rest. You have to create an authentic you. Now, does that mean you don’t need to learn from other people? No. But you’ve got to step back and go, “Well OK, this person is super outgoing and full of personality, and I’m not wired that way. Maybe I’m quieter.” Well you’re never going to be like them, but learn from them. Take the best.

And then when you look at some other person that’s got a great skill set that maybe doesn’t line up with your skill set, but take and learn things that you can put to work in your life. Factor all of that together by understanding who you authentically are.

Find what you’re good at. All of us have a list of things that we’re good at. But the truth is we spend way much more time working on what we’re bad at, trying to get better at it. Well I’m telling you—the thing that you’re naturally bad at, and you could work all day long seven days a week at it, and the best you’ll ever be at that is mediocre. Somebody is naturally good at what you’re bad at, but I guarantee you, you have natural skills that were just born in you, a part of your DNA, that you’re good at without even trying. And then other people are terrible at it.

I’ve always been able to speak in front of people; it never bothered me. For a lot of other people, it mortifies them. It’s never been a real problem, and so what I was able to is was find a way that there something I was good at, that I could show up without any notes and do better than most people—and then work like crazy at it, spend my time focused on what I’m good at.

See, I believe each us, if we found our natural inclinations and then we focused on what we’re good at, you’re going to be the best you you can be. I believe great teams are made up of a bunch of individuals who find a way to mesh together in a way that accentuates each person’s positive for the good of the group.

So be the best authentic you you can be. Work on yourself, focus on yourself, understand your strengths and weaknesses and find ways to put yourself in a place where your strengths are magnified.